8 BRITISH WELL-WORMS. 



deutet auf die am Ende sichel formig gebogenen Jugend — Borsten des 

 Pltvcoryctes hin. Vor allem ist es die weiter unteo naher zu erorternde 

 Angabe, dass die Borsten schon mit dem i Segment beginnen soUen, die 

 jeden zweifel iiber die Zugehorigkeit des betreffenden Stiickes zu P. 

 gordioides ausschliesst . "- 



A little later (p. log) in speakin^^ of the specialized setae, 

 Michaelsen continues : — 



" Jenes Exemplar, zeigt zugleich, dass jener sprunghafte Borslen. 

 wechsel nicht in der ganzen Korperlilnge zu gleicher Zeit eintritt, und 

 bietet in so fern auch eine Erklarung fiir die Angabe Friend's, dass bei 

 Dichata curvisctosa die Borsten der Segniente ii bis 14 modificirt sein 

 sollen."3 



The foregoing quotations are sufficient for my purpose and 

 1 have to thank Dr. Michaelsen for lia\ing made it possible for 

 me to give my worm its true position. I cannot, iiowe\"er, agree 

 with him that the species now under review is to be identified 

 with those which have been previ'Uisly described. 



Six years and a half ago I received the following letter : — 



Chelmsford, 



4th November, 1S92. 

 My Dear Sir, 



I enclose in a bottle with glycerine a worm I received from a 

 patient, who had taken it from his well. It was then, and until a few 

 days ago, extremely active in its movements, and very difficult to 

 examine. What I saw was so different from any I had seen before 

 that I thought it might be of interest to you, and placed it in glycerine 

 so as to preserve it as much as possible in a natural state. 

 Believe me, dear Sir, 



Yours faithfully, 



Daniel Wheeler. 



Attached to the bottle was a label bearing the following 

 particulars:— " Worm found in a well at Chehnsford, Oct., 1892, 

 Remarkably active when alive a few days ago. As soon as dead 

 put in glycerine." 



I at once e.xamined the worm, which was entirely new to 

 me, and different in every important detail from all the aquatic 



2 Tr.\nsl.\tion :— The species which Mr. Fiiend has recently described (Naturalist, 

 i8g6), under the name of Dichacta curvisctosa must also be referrecl to Phreoryctes. Owing 

 to the fact that the author himself had but one specimen, and that not adult, the description 

 is very inadequate. In spite of this, howevjr, the Phreoryctes nature of the worm can be 

 discovered. The specific name curvisctosa. moreover, sets forth the characteristic sickle- 

 shaped form of the sets in Phreoryctes, while a further confirmation of the identity is 

 furnished by the statement that they commence on the first segnient— a point which finally 

 settles its relationship to /-■. gordioides. 



3 Explanation :- Michaelsen refers to a fact whicli he has been elucidating. This, he 

 says, may also be taken as throwing light on my statement that tlu- setae on segments 11— 14 

 differ from those on the rest of the body. 



